Investments in Distressed Loans and Foreclosed Real Estate

Investments in Distressed Loans

Investments in distressed loans consisted of the following as of the dates indicated (amounts in thousands):



	July 31, 2014			October 31, 2013
Unpaid principal balance	$	13,437		$	63,381
Discount on acquired loans	(9,186		)	(27,007		)
Carrying value	$	4,251		$	36,374

Our investments in distressed loans include performing loans and non-performing loans and also include investments in loan participations classified as secured borrowings under ASC 860, “Transfers and Servicing.”

For acquired distressed loans where it is probable that we will collect less than the contractual amounts due under the terms of the loan based, at least in part, on the assessment of the credit quality of the borrowers, the loans are accounted for under ASC 310-30, “Loans and Debt Securities Acquired with Deteriorated Credit Quality” (“ASC 310-30”). Under ASC 310-30, provided we do not presently have the intention to utilize real estate secured by the loans for use in our operations or to significantly improve the collateral for resale, the amount by which the future cash flows expected to be collected at the acquisition date exceeds the estimated fair value of the loan, or accretable yield, is recognized in other income - net over the estimated remaining life of the loan using a level yield methodology. The difference between the contractually required payments of the loan as of the acquisition date and the total cash flows expected to be collected, or nonaccretable difference, is not recognized.

The accretable yield activity for investments in distressed loans accounted for under ASC 310-30 for the nine-month and three-month periods ended July 31, 2014 and 2013 was as follows (amounts in thousands):



	Nine months ended July 31,						Three months ended July 31,
	2014			2013			2014			2013
Balance, beginning of period	$	6,606		$	17,196		$	2,832		$	11,229
Additions	554			706						541
Deletions	(6,204		)	(6,027		)	(2,832		)	(2,418		)
Accretions	(956		)	(3,510		)				(987		)
Balance, end of period	$	—		$	8,365		$	—		$	8,365

Additions primarily represent the reclassification to accretable yield from nonaccretable yield and the impact of impairments. Deletions primarily represent loan dispositions, which include foreclosure of the underlying collateral and resulting removal of the loans from the accretable yield portfolios, and reclassifications from accretable yield to nonaccretable yield. The reclassifications between accretable and nonaccretable yield and the accretion of interest income are based on various estimates regarding loan performance and the value of the underlying real estate securing the loans. As we continue to gather additional information regarding the loans and the underlying collateral, the accretable yield may change. Therefore, the amount of accretable income recorded in the nine-month and three-month periods ended July 31, 2014 and 2013 is not necessarily indicative of future results.

We also acquire distressed loans where we have determined that (1) it is possible to collect all contractual amounts due under the terms of the loan, (2) we expect to utilize the real estate secured by the loans in our operations, or (3) forecasted cash flows cannot be reasonably estimated. For non-performing loans acquired meeting any of these conditions, in accordance with ASC 310-10, “Receivable,” (“ASC 310-10”), the loans are classified as nonaccrual and interest income is not recognized. When a loan is classified as nonaccrual, any subsequent cash receipt is accounted for using the cost recovery method. For performing loans, payments are applied to principal and interest in accordance with the terms of the loan when received. As of July 31, 2014 and October 31, 2013, we had investments in non-performing loans, accounted for in accordance with ASC 310-10, of $4.3 million and $21.4 million, respectively. At October 31, 2013, we had investments in performing loans of $0.8 million. We had no investments in performing loans as of July 31, 2014.

Foreclosed Real Estate Owned (REO)

The table below provides, for the periods indicated, the activity in REO (amounts in thousands):



	Nine months ended July 31,						Three months ended July 31,
	2014			2013			2014			2013
Balance, beginning of period	$	72,972		$	58,353		$	76,652		$	71,458
Additions	21,203			20,172			13,167			5,855
Sales	(13,558		)	(4,713		)	(9,366		)	(3,801		)
Impairments	(1,046		)	(505		)	(1,044		)	(490		)
Depreciation	(252		)	(395		)	(90		)	(110		)
Balance, end of period	$	79,319		$	72,912		$	79,319		$	72,912

As of July 31, 2014, approximately $2.2 million and $77.1 million of REO was classified as held-for-sale and held-and-used, respectively. As of July 31, 2013, approximately $9.7 million and $63.2 million of REO was classified as held-for-sale and held-and-used, respectively. For the nine-month periods ended July 31, 2014 and 2013, we recorded gains of $4.5 million and $3.1 million, respectively, from acquisitions of REO through foreclosure. For the three-month periods ended July 31, 2014 and 2013, we recorded gains of $3.0 million and $1.6 million, respectively, from the acquisition of REO through foreclosure.

General

Our earnings from Gibraltar’s operations, excluding our investment in the Structured Asset Joint Venture, are included in “Other income - net” in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. In the nine-month periods ended July 31, 2014 and 2013, we recognized $10.2 million and $5.2 million of earnings (excluding earnings from our investment in the Structured Asset Joint Venture), respectively, from Gibraltar’s operations. In the three-month periods ended July 31, 2014 and 2013, we recognized $4.5 million and $4.1 million of earnings (excluding earnings from our investment in the Structured Asset Joint Venture), respectively, from Gibraltar’s operations.